E.—2

4

The Far North. — District Superintendent, Mr. H. W. Bishop, B.M. Te Kao, Parengarenga Harbour (examined 21st March, 1892). —The attendance had been very irregular, and the work had consequently been unnecessarily hard and harassing : still, the children worked diligently, and showed much interest in what they had to do; the percentages also were capital. The teachers have been removed to a school where, it is hoped, their labours will be better appreciated by the parents. Ahipara (examined 23rd March, 1892). —The work shown at examination was, on the whole, poor ; the attendance had been so irregular that nothing else could be expected. Pamapuria (examined 19th March, 1892). —This is a kind of gum-digging centre, and the children, through having to work on the gumfields at an early age, soon become their own masters; they are, besides, subject to many distractions. It is easy to see that under these circumstances the school can receive only a limited amount of attention from the pupils. Thus it has come about this year that the excellent teaching of the master has produced only moderate results, both percentages being low. It should be mentioned, however, that the examination was taken considerably before the usual time in order that all the Mangonui schools might be examined consecutively. Kenana (examined 28th March, 1892). —There was good reason to be pleased with this new school and its new teacher. Several weak points were revealed, but that goes almost without saying in the case of a new school. There could be no doubt that much hard and honest work had been done in the course of the year. Whangape (examined 24th March, 1892). —The results obtained were decidedly low; it is likely that a great deal too much dependence had been placed on " silent work." Results will, no doubt, improve as the master gets more used to Native-school work, but Whangape has always been a place in which a very considerable amount of hard and intelligent work has been needed for the production of even moderate results : without such work only the poorest percentages are obtainable here. Matihetihe (examined 25th March, 1892). —One could hardly wish to see a healthier-looking or cleaner and tidier set of children than the pupils of this little half-time school; they are also exceedingly well behaved. The examination work was very well done. Altogether the school is a great surprise to a visitor who sees how very Maori the place is, and consequently also expects to see something particularly unmethodical and untidy. Waitapu (examined 26th March, 1892). —The work is very good indeed; the school is undoubtedly reviving under its interesting new Committee, composed mainly of young men who have been educated at Native schools, and having for Chairman an old pupil of Waitapu and St. Stephen's. Both the percentages are high, and nearly all the passes strong. Waimamaku (examined 15th June, 1892). —Striking success has been achieved here. The parents show a little apathy at times, but their respect for the teachers is great. The pupils do their work well and show real interest in it. With one or two weak spots here and there, the examination performance of the school was very creditable. The master is about to teach his boy-pupils carpentering and tinsmiths' work : this is undoubtedly a step in the right direction. Whirinaki (examined 14th June, 1892). —The new master deserves credit for being the first to show what the district can really do in the way of maintaining a large attendance. Perhaps the master has brought all his long experience with him to Whirinaki, and has left far behind him the liability to make a beginner's mistakes. One seldom sees a school present a better appearance. Of course the character of the work done will have to be tested next year. Omanaia (examined Bth June, 1892). —The teaching is done with zeal and intelligence, and in no school are the relations between teachers and parents more satisfactory than they are here. Considering the loss that the school has sustained in the course of the year through the death of the master, one must pronounce the examination results very good indeed. Motukaraka (examined 9th June, 1892). —Perhaps the weakest point here is the state of the garden and grounds. This and other matters bearing on the general character and welfare of the school were carefully inquired into after the examination. The Department took steps to adjust and amend what was amiss, and it is hoped that the circumstances of the school will be more satisfactory in future. The examination results are not so high this year as they have been on previous occasions, but they were far from being bad; some of the work, indeed, was exceptionally strong. The singing and the drawing were capital; the singing especially left nothing to be desired. Mangamuka (examined 16th March, 1892). —There is no great reason to complain of the master's work, although the results are by no means high. A revival of this school was looked for, but the work had to be stopped on account of the smallness of the attendance. If the schoolhouse were moved about a mile and a half up the valley the school could probably be resuscitated. Bangiahua (examined 15th March, 1892). —The Hauhau views of a considerable number of the Maori parents in this district prevent the children from gaining the advantages derivable from intercourse with other children, European and Maori, and from an education suited to their needs and capacity. At the examination a considerable number of passes and good percentages were made ; but still the work was not very even. Improvement, however, is taking place rapidly. Waima (examined 7th June, 1892). —Like most of the northern schools, Waima has had a great deal to contend with during the year, the difficulties depending on two causes —the high price of gum and the prevalence of epidemic sickness. The school, however, though small, is in very good form, and is doing excellent work. Otaua (examined 6th June, 1892). —Long-continued absence on the gumfields of many of the more promising pupils has had a very injurious effect on the work of the school. The weak places so caused are to be found mainly in the reading and the writing. In spite of all drawbacks the gross percentage is very fair.